- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 22 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what its response has been to reports of recent discoveries of unexploded wartime military ordnance near urban centres, and what steps Police Scotland is taking to ensure public safety in these areas.
Answer
It is for the Chief Constable, working with the working with the Scottish Police Authority, to determine how to allocate its budget to meet policing priorities including incidences involving unexploded wartime military ordnance.
You may wish to write directly to Police Scotland on this matter.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 22 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what funding is allocated to local authorities and emergency services for managing incidents involving unexploded wartime military ordnance.
Answer
It is for each of Scotland’s 32 Local Authorities and the individual emergency services to allocate resources to areas of priority and need. Decisions on operational matters are for the individual services and Local Authorities to consider and action. You may wish to contact them directly to establish how incidents involving unexploded wartime military ordnance are managed.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 22 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis Police Scotland has conducted of the potential risks posed by unexploded wartime military ordnance, particularly in areas of historical military activity.
Answer
It is for the Chief Constable, working with the working with the Scottish Police Authority, to determine how to allocate its budget to meet policing priorities including incidences involving unexploded wartime military ordnance.
You may wish to write directly to Police Scotland on this matter.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 22 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any impact of thefts from railway stations in Aberdeen on (a) passenger safety and (b) services.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to the question S6W-33028 on 22 January 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 22 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what long COVID referral pathways are in place for people with long COVID who have symptoms of myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME).
Answer
We do not hold information on long COVID referral pathways for patients with a dual diagnosis or presentation of both long COVID and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome(ME/CFS). This is a matter for territorial NHS boards.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 22 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has conducted on the prevalence of cable theft from railway lines, and what action is being taken to prevent it.
Answer
Responsibility for the analysis of the impacts from cable theft and the implementation is a matter for Network Rail and its contractors.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 22 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the prevalence of theft from (a) railway stations and (b) other railway property, and what steps it is taking to address this issue.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to the question S6W-33028 on 22 January 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 22 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish an annual report on thefts from railways, detailing trends, financial impacts and mitigation measures.
Answer
This information is not held by the Scottish Government. Responsibility for such information rests with Network Rail and rail operators.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Dorothy Bain on 22 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how much was spent on (a) foreign travel, (b) foreign accommodation and (c) other expenses associated with official overseas visits for the (i) Lord Advocate and (ii) Solicitor General in the calendar year, 2024.
Answer
All costs associated with overseas visits undertaken by the Lord Advocate and Solicitor General in their roles as heads of the systems of prosecution and deaths investigation are paid by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service budget.
In the calendar year 2024 the costs associated with overseas travel for the Lord Advocate, all of which are associated with ongoing criminal investigations and casework, are as follows:
Flights | Accommodation |
£4,427.40 | £434.67 |
The Lord Advocate did not undertake any overseas trips in her capacity as a Scottish Minister.
The Solicitor General made no overseas trips in the calendar year 2024.
- Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 January 2025
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Current Status:
Initiated by the Scottish Government.
Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 22 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its calls for tailored migration routes to be introduced within the current UK immigration system, to support Scotland’s economy, communities and public services.
Answer
The Scottish Government continues to call on the UK Government to deliver an immigration system which works for Scotland. As part of this, we have developed evidence-based immigration policy proposals, such as the Scottish Visa and Rural Visa Pilot proposals, which continue to command strong stakeholder support and would respond to specific challenges faced by Scotland’s economy, communities and public services.
If we are to meet our ambitions and deliver sustainable economic growth we need to attract and retain international students who can help to grow our economy. The Scottish Government has developed a proposal for a tailored visa route for international graduates from Scottish Universities or Colleges who want to stay in Scotland. This Scottish Graduate Visa would be linked to a Scottish tax code and be based on a requirement to live and work in Scotland. It would give international students in Scotland an additional two years to develop their career to meet the salary threshold for a Skilled Worker Visa.
I encourage the UK Government to engage with what is being proposed, and to discuss with Scottish Ministers how it could be delivered within the current UK immigration system to help meet Scotland’s distinct demographic needs.
The publication link is live at: https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781836912729